


In The Shadows  Book II

by StormyBear30



Series: In The Shadows [2]
Category: 30 Seconds to Mars, Actor RPF, Music RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-17
Updated: 2011-03-17
Packaged: 2017-10-17 01:30:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/171516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormyBear30/pseuds/StormyBear30
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to  In the Shadows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Shadows  Book II

Brent’s POV

“Oh good…I am so glad you are here” Jared comes bounding towards me as I enter our home, such a huge smile upon his face that I can’t help but smile in return.

“Miss me that much” I tease, allowing him to jerk my coat off, not even bothering to complain when he drops it on the floor, takes my hand and lead me into the living room.

“I always miss you when your gone BB…but look what came in today” He lets go of my hand, picking up a small box before shoving it into my empty hands.

Something tells me that I don’t want to open it by the beaming smile he is shooting my way, my thoughts confirmed when I open the box and find the trinity skulls staring at me with a picture of Jared and I blended into the background. “Jared…you promised” I refuse to look any further as I shove the box back into his hands, already pissed off that we are about to have another argument about our upcoming wedding.

“I know…but Shannon and I had a brain storm the other night and its perfect” He announces with a pout upon his face, one that I know very well because I have seen it a lot since the planning had started.

“Last time I checked you were marrying me and not Shannon” I belt out, turning to walk away because I know it is just a matter of time before I buckle and I want to put up as much of a good fight as I could before I do.

“Ewww…and ewww” I hear behind me, but I continue to ignore him.

“Jared…you promised that this wedding wasn’t going to be about your band and all about us and tradition” I remind him of an earlier conversation we had had. “Tell me how you and I and the fucking trinity skulls go together”

“I see you showed him the invitations” I hear Shannon speak as he enters the room, plopping down in a chair before picking up the discarded box and looking in it. “I told you that he was going to be pissed about it.

“Shut the hell up Shannon” We both snap at the man, ignoring the death looks he shoots both our ways before flipping us the bird and storming off.

“Dammit Jared…” I focus my attention back to him, the slamming of the front door confirming that Shannon has left and we are once again alone. “I give you one little task to do and you can’t even get that one right”

“Wait…what are you saying…that you are doing all the work and I am doing nothing?” He screams at me, hands on hips, eyes flashing dangerously.

I refuse to deal with him when he gets like that because there isn’t anything that I can say that he won’t blow out of proportion. So instead I send him my own dangerous look, grabbing my keys from off of the hallway table and leave. I already know that within an hour or so he will calm down and start to think rationally, so I head off to my office until he does. Almost an hour later my cell phone rings, a smile curving across my lips at the name I see flashing at me. “I’m sorry” I hear him speak, my smile growing even wider as he begs me to come home so he can make it up to me. Within thirty minutes we are wrapped up within each other, horrible wedding invitation and fighting forgotten for the moment.

“Jared…would you come on. The house looks fine” I chase after my lover as he rushes around the living room of our home, dusting and moving things around. I don’t know why he’s so nervous about our house guest because it’s someone who he knows quite well and could careless as to what our always immaculate place looks like.

“I know but I just want to make sure that everything is perfect” He hollers, trying to break out of my grasp once I finally catch him.

“Everything is perfect…you’re perfect…now stop worrying” It hits me again as I look into his eyes just how much I love this man and how much it means to me that he’s so worried about making a good impression on my mother, despite the fact that he’s known her for years. I know that I don’t have anything to worry about because my mother loves Jared almost as much as I do and he loves her equally as well. “You make me so happy JJ…you know that right?”

He goes still in my arms as he smiles at me happily. “You make me happy too BB” He flashes that beautiful smile of his and I can’t help but kiss it off of him because to me it’s the most beautiful smile in the world. “Now are you sure that everything is ok”

“Everything is perfect” I reply, not knowing or caring if I am speaking of our home or the wonderful life that we have been sharing. “Now would you like me to show you just how perfect everything is?” I tease, kissing him once again while my hands begin to work on his pants.

“Brent…we don’t have time” He pants against my lips, but I noticed that he isn’t even trying to push me away.

“We have well over an hour before her plane arrives…just enough time for…” I leave the sentence open as I drop his pants to the floor, kissing him quickly once again before spinning and pinning him against the couch intending on proving to him just how perfect he is to me.

“You’re mother is going to kill us” I hear him gripe at me nearly an hour later as we rush down the busy streets of L.A.

“Jesus Jared…you act as if I knew the plane was going to land early” I bite back in irritation.

“It’s your fucking private jet. You should have known” He reminds and I once again bite my tongue because I know he is baiting me and I refuse to fall for his game. We drive in silence for a while and with each mile that passes my nerves become more stressed, the grip of the steering wheel tightening. I know that he can see this and yet I still don’t say a word because I know that eventually he will get over his hissy fit and admit he was wrong.

“I’m sorry” He whispers, reaching over and taking my right hand into his as he massages my rigid fingers. “I’m just so stressed out about your mother visiting and I keep taking it out on you. Why do you keep putting up with me?” He asks, a smile upon his face because he already knows the answer without me having to say it.

“Because I’m an idiot” I return that smile, pulling his hand forward before placing a small kiss upon it. “And because I love you for some strange and odd reason”

“Love you too” He beams back, intertwining our fingers together as we continue on the way towards the airport.

I can tell that my mother is aggravated the moment that we find her sitting in the private waiting area and yet as much as I try and apologize, blaming myself for our tardiness, she doesn’t seem to be listening. Instead she lectures Jared for a good ten minutes or so before turning her back to him and taking my arm. Jared seems stunned and a bit hurt, but he says nothing as I am led the way, my mother talking on endlessly about things I truly don’t care about. The tension is thick as we make our way towards the car, Jared trying to engage my mother in conversation, but in a way that is so normally unlike her, she keeps cutting him off and talking over him. Again he doesn’t say a word, but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s upset. I give him a reassuring squeeze on his hand after helping her into the car, whispering the words “I love you” before walking around towards the driver’s side. I am not sure how to handle the silence as he looks at me quickly before climbing into the back seat.

“I’m famished” She announces as we drive towards home.

“Where would you like to eat Mamma Bolthouse?” Jared asks as he sits forward, arms resting on the back of the seat, a look of determination on his face.

“What I would like is for you to stop calling me that” She announces rather boldly, shocking Jared and myself because it’s something that Jared has called her since the moment that he met her.

“It’s what I always call you” He concurs my thoughts.

“Doesn’t mean that I like it” She replies back, staring straight ahead. My eyes move to the back seat where I see my lover slump back into the seat, once again silent and so unlike the vibrant man that I love.

“I think that my mother is just tired Jared. Why don’t we just go home and have the cook fix us something and then we can go out another time” I try to fix the hurt and I do for a second before its back again.

“Ok BB…” He replies, sharing a smile with me through the rear view mirror.

“His name is Brent” My mother snaps, causing us to both turn and look at her in shock once again. “Do you think that I went through fifteen hours of labor to reduce his name to mere letters” Jared draws himself into a ball after that and doesn’t say another word until we get home.

Jared excuses himself the moment that we enter our home, the bed room door slamming loudly as he does. I make an attempt to go after him, but my mother has other ideas as she takes my arm and leads me down the hallway. “Give me a tour of your new home” She says, not even bothered by the fact that Jared has left us and he should be giving the tour with us as well. I give her the tour, but my heart isn’t in it. I’m more worried about Jared because I know that he is upstairs pouting over the way that my mother has treated him. “Mom…is everything ok?” I ask, afterwards as we move into the living room.

“Everything is fine…why?” She asks as she sits on the couch, smiling up at me in such a motherly way.

“Well it’s just that…earlier with Jared. You seemed cross with him” I tread lightly because I’m not sure what is about to happen.

“Yes…I was a bit cross with him wasn’t I?” She smiles up at me. “I guess I am just tired. Nothing that a short nap won’t fix” I help her off of the chair as she walks towards the guest room on the lower level of the house.

“I thought you were famished?” I ask, recalling her earlier statement in the car.

“Not so much anymore. I think that I will just go lay down before dinner” She smiles at me once again before taking her leave.

“Jared…” I call out his name softly as I open the door to our bedroom and find him where I expected to, sitting in an old and ratty looking bean bag chair off to the corner of our room. I’ve wanted to get rid of it for years now, but he refuses to part with it. It’s the ugliest thing I have ever seen, but it’s where Jared writes most of his music for all of the bands albums, so it has sentimental value or something. “Hey baby…” I speak up because he doesn’t seem to hear me. “Mom’s taking a nap before dinner. You ok?”

“Fine…” He lies as I move deeper into the room, standing before him.

“She’s just tired JJ” I defend her actions.

“I know…” He says, smiling up at me, but it never quite reaches his eyes.

I ignore the melancholy look on his face as I take his hand and pull him to me. “You know a nap sounds wonderful since someone had me up so early this morning cleaning” I kiss him playfully, smiling at him, thankful that he doesn’t put up any resistance as I lead us towards the bed.

“How did she like the house?” He asks as we snuggle together, my favorite and only way to sleep.

“She loved it” I lie, not wanting to upset him anymore, but the truth is that she pretty much hated it, blaming it on Jared’s taste. Our home is very modern, with fancy modern furniture to go along with it. What she didn’t realize or even care to acknowledge once I told her was that I’m the one who hired the decorator when we purchased our home and Jared had very little say in it since he was touring. He told me that he trusted my instincts and to just roll with it. I have to admit that he wasn’t very happy with it at first, but eventually he grew to tolerate it as I grew to tolerate the ugly bean bag chair sticking out like a sore thumb in our bedroom. “I love you” I nuzzle his ear, kissing it gently as I hold him tightly.

“I love you too” He replies, snuggling deeper into my arms before each of us dozes off.

Jared’s POV…

He looks so peaceful as he sleeps, but I can’t sleep at all as I find myself once again curled up in my favorite chair watching the man that I love before me. This has been one of the more stressful days of my life and for once it had nothing to do with endless touring and dealings with record company management, but Jesus I wish that it was, instead of dealing with a woman who at one time I thought loved me just like her son. I don’t know what is going on with Brent’s mother, or maybe I do and just don’t want to admit it to myself. It’s been lingering in the back of my mind since we announced to her and the world of our engagement and I fear that the reason for her impromptu visit isn’t to help out with all that needs to be done in order to made our day perfect, but something worse.

“Hey…what are you doing over there?” I am pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Brent’s voice as I put a brave smile upon my face.

“Hey…couldn’t sleep” I reply, taking the hand that is outreached towards me as he pulls me back onto the bed.

“Well maybe I can do something that will make you sleepy” He grins, kissing my nose as he pulls me on top of him.

“Yeah…like what?” I grin back and why shouldn’t I because this man loves me so much and even after more the ten years together we still continue to fuck like jack rabbits whenever the mood hits. “Oh that…” My voice is hitched as he slides his hand between us and begins to rub my already hardening dick. I fully take control as I kiss him hungrily, before moving downward. Lifting up his shirt I kiss and nibble my way across his chest, smiling at the moans of pleasure I hear as I continue downward. I explore his quivering stomach with my tongue, my hands removing his slacks before once again taking my exploration downward.

“Fuck I love that mouth” He cries out and I can’t help but smile evilly because it’s time to play.

“What do you love about it?’ I ask, ghosting hot breath over his dick standing so proud and at attention before me.

“I love the way it kisses me” He groans as I brush the simplest of kisses on top of the tip. “I love the way that it teases me” He continues, arching up and crying out as I gently lick a path down to his balls and back again. “I love the sounds that come out of it when I make love to you” I can’t help but smile sincerely this time because I love the sounds that come out of me when he’s making love to me too.

“Anything else?” I tease some more.

“Please Jared…stop teasing me?” He begs, looking down at me with huge brown eyes so full of lust that I just can’t torture him anymore. “Oh JJ…” He cries out, running his hands through my hair as I run my tongue along his length before drawing it fully into my mouth. The sounds that escape from him are heaven to my ears as I continue to give him pleasure. I know that he is close by the way he grips my hair, the stance in his body going rigid as I increase the power of my actions, ready to receive his manly juices as my reward, but before I know what is happening I hear screaming behind me as my ass and my head hit the floor.

“What the fuck?” I speak in a daze, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. There is a flutter of activity above me and more screaming behind me. “Brent…” I speak my lover’s name, only to find him running past me, taking his hysterical mother by the hand as he leads her out of the room. “Just fucking great” I speak to myself, slapping the hardwood floor with my hand as I pull myself off of the floor, dressing quickly before I go after them.

“You dirty man…you dirty dirty man” I hear her scream at me the minute I enter the hallway, Brent trying to calm her, but not successful in the least as she breaks free from him and storms over towards me. I don’t have time to react before I feel the palm of her hand blast its way across my face and I am literally too stunned to do anything as she continues to call me all sorts of nasty names. I look at Brent from help and all I find looking back at me is frustration and embarrassment and it just causes me to lose it.

“Dirty man…” I throw back at her. “What the hell do you think that gay men do when they make love?” I ask her, stepping forward, because I’ve had enough of this woman and she’s only been here half a day.

“Jared…” I hear Brent’s warning voice, but I ignore him.

“We’ve been together for ten years…do you think that we only sleep in that huge bed of ours” She’s speechless and I love it as I grin evilly at her, it disappearing at the look of pure anger I find staring back at me as I look over her head and find Brent looking as if he is ready to throttle me. “What?” I ask, knowing that I am pushing my luck, but I don’t care. “She started it” Now I know that I sound like a child, but I can’t help it because I am feeling totally on the defensive in my own home. “You know what…fuck this” I scream, storming past both of them and right out the door.

“Are you going home anytime tonight?” I hear Shannon ask as we sit in the living room of my former home, the TV on softly, but neither of us paying it any mind. I don’t say anything just glare at him as I cross my arms over my chest and pout some more, just like I’ve been doing for the previous four hours. “Well you can sit here and pout all night of you want…I’m going to bed”

“Do you think that I’m wrong?” I speak up, watching as he falls back into his chair in frustration and yet I ignore it. “I mean fuck Shan…she just waltzed into our room and insulted me with all sorts of horrible names and he didn’t even try and stop her”

“Jared…please” He sighs. “You’re talking to the wrong person about this. Go home and talk to Brent” He gets up once again and this time he leaves me, trudging upstairs where his lover has been sleeping for several hours now.

“Thanks for nothing” I holler up the stairway as I walk towards the front door, knowing that he hears me, but in true Shannon fashion, he ignores my stupidity.

The house is quiet as I enter it, making my way slowly and softly as I can, by passing our bedroom altogether as I enter another of the spare bedrooms. I don’t care what Shannon or Brent think about what’s going on because I am pissed and more then a little sick and tired of his mother’s shit already. Stripping down to my brief’s, I prepare for bed, crawling into the empty bed, wishing that Brent was lying beside me, but my pride getting the better of me.

I don’t know how long has passed as I hear a stirring in the hallway, Brent speaking softly as I strain to listen. “Hey Shannon…it’s Brent” I hear him speak, already knowing that my brother must be ready to rip both of our heads off because of this. “I was wondering if Jared is staying there tonight?” I don’t know what my brother says to him, but I am sure it wasn’t nice as I hear a few not so pretty words come from out of Brent’s mouth. The next thing I hear is the ringing of my cell phone, the door opening quickly and the light from above nearly blinding me as he flips the switch.

“I don’t want to hear it” I blurt out before he has a chance to speak, shielding my eyes from the light, the bed beside me sinking in. “I’m still mad at you” I continue when strong arms wrap around my middle, pulling me against him. I could fight him, but I don’t as he aligns his body behind mine, his chin resting on my shoulder. “I’m still mad at you” I repeat.

“I know and I’m sorry” He whispers, his eye lashes fluttering against my ear as he closes his eyes and moves in a bit closer.

“You didn’t even try to defend me” I reply, my pride still hurt.

“She found you sucking my cock baby…what did you want me to do?” I can hear the desperation in his voice and I know that it’s because of the love that he holds for his mother and me, so I decide to let it go because I know how much everything must be affecting him.

“I know and I’m sorry for acting the way I did” I lie, because I am not sorry, but I hate the position that this must be putting him in. I know that we should go sleep in our own room, but I find that I just can’t do it as I lay my arm upon the one around my waist, snuggling in deeper as I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

I wake up the next morning determined to make it a better day as I get up and prepare breakfast for my lover and his mother. “Morning…” I practically sing as the two of them enter the kitchen, Brent kissing me quickly on the lips as I ignore the evil look she sends my way. “Sit…eat” I point towards the table loaded with all sorts of homemade breakfast goodies, stopping Brent from walking away as I kiss him once again for good measure. “Morning BB” I smile widely, looking her dead in the eye for a second before turning back to the eggs poaching on the stove. I chatter endlessly after everything has been placed on the table, not giving her a chance to speak, because I know that once she does it’s going to be something ugly that will once again piss me off. I prove myself right as I take a drink of my orange juice, giving her the opportunity she’s been waiting for.

“I’ve been trying to tell you all morning…but didn’t have a chance” She glares at me, before turning back to Brent with a smile upon her face as she continues. “Cheryl’s divorced and ready to start dating again”

“I’m sorry to hear that” Brent says and I can tell that he had no idea why his mother has brought up his ex-girlfriends name, but I do.

“Maybe you should give her a call. I was talking to her just the other day and she was telling me how much she misses you and what you once had” Angered tears burn my eyes, but I hold them back because I refuse to let this woman see me cry over her hurtfulness.

“I haven’t spoken to her in over twelve years” He speaks, still clueless as I reach under the table and place my hand upon his knee. He looks at me for a second and in true Brent fashion, because he can read me like a book, he finally gets it. “Mother…Jared and I are together. I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him. So any ideas you have about Cheryl and I…forget it”

I can’t help but smile as he lays his hand upon my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he looks over at me with such love in his eyes that I can’t help but lean in and kiss him. “Love you” I whisper, our foreheads inclined because I am just so damned happy that he decided to defend me and the love that he holds for me.

“I have no ideas” She defends, but I can tell that she is lying as she locks evil eyes upon me before turning back towards her sons. “I just think that it would be nice if you were to say…have lunch with her today…just as friends”

“What?” The two of us cry out, because there is not doubt in either of our minds that this plan of hers has already been laid out.

“She’s coming for lunch today. Hope you don’t mind?” She looks right at me as she says it, excusing herself in order to get ready for her day.

“You’re going to cancel it right?” I ask, removing my hand from his lap when he doesn’t answer me. “Why? Why would you have lunch with a woman that broke your heart over twelve years ago?”

“It’s just lunch” He defends as I get up and start cleaning up the dishes. “Jared…it isn’t like you have anything to be worried about. I love you. I want to be with you”

“You think that I am jealous?” I blurt out, unable to understand how a man as brilliant as Brent can be so dense sometimes. “I’m not jealous you fucking ass” My rant continues as I drop our plates into the sink, turning to face him at his audacity to ask such a question.

“Well you’re acting like it”

“I’m not jealous” I speak again, my grip on the counter behind me painful but it helps me from punching the shit out of the clueless man I love. “I’m pissed off because your mother is trying like hell to break us up”

“What? Are you insane?” He questions me and once again I can tell that he doesn’t believe for a moment that his mother is up to no good.

“You know what…fine. Maybe I am crazy” I throw my hands in the air, pushing past him as I walk towards the other end of the kitchen. “But you will see today at lunch that maybe I’m not as crazy as you think” I don’t say another word as I leave the house, aggravated beyond believe that Brent and I have been at odds with each other since she’s gotten here. I push it aside because I have lots of things to do today that deal with my band and right now there isn’t anything as important as that.

I am exhausted and starving as I enter our home hours later, my ears picking up the sound of laughter from the back of the house. Upon investigation I find Brent, his mother and a woman that I hoped to never see again sitting outside by the pool having lunch. There is laughter and merriment as they rehash the good times, everyone seeming to forget about the bad times and the mess of a man Brent became when he found out that she had been cheating on him and then just walked away leaving him devastated. Anger begins to burn within me because it was me and not his mother that helped him pick up the pieces of his life when he fell off the wagon and started drinking again. “Jared…” I hear my lover call out my name, jerking me back to reality as Brent rushes into the house, taking my hand before leading to what I am sure is going to be a slaughter. “Cheryl…you remember Jared?” He smiles at the woman before turning back towards me. “Everything ok?” He asks quietly, pulling an empty chair out for me before falling back into his.

“Everything is fine” I smile, welcoming the evil woman into our home, making sure to sit as close to my soon to be husband as possible. I can tell by the look on her face that she doesn’t like it…so I make it even worse as I lay my arm around his shoulder, playing with the longness of his hair. Brent doesn’t seem to mind as I continue, but his mother and ex are shooting death glares from hell my way and I fucking love it. Lunch doesn’t last much longer after that as Cheryl excuses herself for what she says is a prior engagement, but I am sure that she’s just tired of seeing me fawn all over my lover and her ex.

“It was nice to see her again” He smiles after her as his mother follows as well. I know the old biddy isn’t about to give up, but you can best bet that I won’t be going down without a fight as well. “Oh…revised invitations came in today. Thank you baby” He smiles as he leans forward and kisses me. “They are just what I wanted” He’s beaming and it makes me happy that I’ve made him happy because no matter how much I want to make our wedding part of the band, I know that he doesn’t and it is his day as well.

“Welcome…glad you liked them” I smile back, kissing him hungrily because even though it’s only been two days since the bickering has started, I’ve missed my BB. We begin to make out like horny teenagers, only to pull back at the loud clearing of a throat behind us. “You have a visitor” Brent’s mother speaks through nearly clenching teeth as I kiss him one more time before standing up.

“That would be the wedding planner” I announced more loudly then I need to. “Don’t be too long BB…we have lots of decisions to make” I smile at him, blasting and even bigger and faker one at her before leaving them alone. I don’t know what she’s said to him, but he doesn’t look happy as he walks into the house a few minutes later, sitting down next to me on the couch as the planner goes over some of his ideas for our wedding. “You ok?” I whisper against his ear.

“Fine…” He lies with a smile, but I don’t push it as I instead focus on our upcoming wedding, because I am determined to have it regardless of Brent’s mother’s objections. The problem now is that I don’t know if I am doing it for the fact that I love Brent and want to join our lives together, of that I want to make sure that she doesn’t win.

 

Brent’s POV

It’s been a week since my mother has come to visit and my life has been a living hell. The animosity between Jared and her other has grown out of control, so much so that they can’t even look at each other without one of them snapping. Jared blames my mother and of course my mother blames Jared and I am stuck in the middle ready to pull my hair out. Jared says that my mother is trying to break up us, my mother saying that Jared is just jealous that she is getting my attention and not him. I am torn as to who to believe, but sadly I have to lean more towards my mother’s side since I know how much of a drama queen Jared can be. It’s been hell and the truth is that I am more then a little sick of Jared and his antics. He pouts whenever my mother is in the room, and we hardly talk anymore when it is just the two of us. I have no idea what to do either way and I fear that if something doesn’t happen soon the two of us are going to split apart.

The table is tense as the three of us sit around it, each picking at our dinner but not really in the mood to eat it. The tension between the two of them is so thick that I feel that I may choke on it. I can’t help but sigh as I try to figure out how to make my once happy household happy again. “Cheryl called me today” My mother breaks the silence. “She told me to tell you how much she enjoyed lunch the other day and that she hopes that you two can do it again sometime” Jared doesn’t say a word as he sits beside me and knowing him the way that I do, I know that it can’t be good.

“That’s nice” I mutter, watching Jared intently and yet he still says nothing.

“She was telling me that her sister just had a baby and I was thinking that I want the same thing for you dear” She continues, undeterred. “I’d like to be a grandmother some day and you know Brent that you’re not getting any younger. I’d like to see you settled and with a family before I die”

Jared’s face is a blank slate, but his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes are flashing deadly as I reach under the table and take his hand into mine because I know I have to cool this fire before it rages out of control. “Jared and I have talked about raising a family” I speak, looking at him lovingly as I give his hand a squeeze before turning my attention back towards my mother. “We’ve actually talked about it extensively. We both want to be father’s…so we’ve come up with a plan”

“A plan?” My mother repeats, looking between the both of us. “What kind of a plan?” Neither one of us get a chance to reply as Jared cell phone rings.

“What…are you fucking kidding me?” I hear him yell into the mouth piece. “No…don’t do anything we’ll be right there”

“What’s wrong?” I ask concerned because Jared looks as if his head is going to explode.

“The hotel where we are having our reception just informed the wedding planner that they have no reservation for us on our wedding day and that they can’t book us for another three months. I booked that hall personally nearly two months ago”

“JJ…we can have the reception anywhere. I know how much you wanted that hall but…” He didn’t let me finish as he grabbed onto my hand and dragged me out into the hallway.

“BB please…I’ve wanted that hall from the moment we announced our engagement to the world. It’s the perfect place to celebrate our union” He adds the pout, the one that gets me every time and before I know it I am agreeing to a scene I know is about to erupt once we get down there.

“Mom…do you want to come with us?” I ask my mother, ignoring my lover as he rants down the hallway and out the front door. “Ok…I’ll see you when I get back” I smile at her before taking my leave after she declines.

“Brent…lets go” Jared cries out, standing in front of my car, alerting me to the fact that I am the one that is going to drive.

“Just calm down JJ. I’m sure that it’s just a simple mistake and one that we can take care of…calmly” I take is hand as we drive towards the hotel.

“If they don’t have the hall that we asked for I am going to be anything but calm” He bites back, jerking his hand away from mine as he shoves it in the pocket of his jacket. I don’t say anything, sighing again because I know that this is going to end quite badly.

The wedding planner is waiting for us at the entrance, his eyes wide and frantic as he apologizes to Jared over and over again for the mishap. Jared doesn’t even acknowledge him as he rushes into the building, demanding to see the manager. Another sigh omits from my lips as I trudge behind him, feeling bad for the older man that emerges from an office behind the desk, hand outstretched in greeting, only to be rebuffed by my pissed off boyfriend.

As expected it ends rather badly with Jared and I heading back home, my head pounding and ready to burst and Jared so angry that he is crying in the seat besides me. Yet another sigh expels from me as I pull the car over and attempt to sooth him. “Jared…it’s ok” I begin, not even flinching when he turns to me with eyes so evil that any normal person would have run screaming for the hills, but not me because I am used to them as I wait for the outburst.

“Your mother did this” He replies, sending my own anger spiking because I can’t believe that he has the gall to say that to me and accuse her of something that I know she would never do.

“There is no way that my mother did this” I reply, keeping my cool despite the fact that I want to punch the shit out of him, because truth me told I am really tired of his hatred of my mother lately.

“The man said that when he called to confirm our reservation that a woman claiming to be my assistant told him that we needed to cancel the reservation”

“And you don’t think that woman could have been Emma by any chance” I ask, an edge to my voice that riles him up even more.

“Emma’s on vacation with her boyfriend in Aruba. So there is no way that she could have done it” His voice is so low and evil sounding that I once again have to fight the urge to punch the man that I love. “Just take me home” He demands and rather then fight with him I do as he asks and peel out onto the street. No words are spoken as we drive, he sending me a resounding “Fuck off” before storming into the house, me storming in after him.

“You did this. It’s all your fucking fault” I hear him scream at my mother as she sits in the living area of the house watching TV.

“What?” My mother cries out in alarm, looking at if she is ready to cry at Jared’s outburst.

“Jared…stop it” I roar, grabbing onto his arm as he prepares to yell at her again. “Knock it the fuck off” I warn, increasing the pressure on his arm so that he can’t move at all. “It’s just a misunderstanding. We can have the reception anywhere. Jesus Christ…I own several ritzy clubs…we could have it at any of them. We could have it at another location. Hell…we could have it here at the house. It’s not that big of a deal”

His mouth falls open and then closed several times before he speak and I know what I am about to hear is not going to be pretty just by the look on his face. “You think I still want to marry you after all of this…well fuck you Brent. I wouldn’t marry you if you paid me to now” His words hurt and I am fighting the urge to cry desperately because no matter how much of a drama queen Jared is…I still love him unlike any other. I go to chase after him as he runs up the stairs, the guest bedroom door slamming loudly, but a hand on my hand stops.

“I don’t know what I did” She speaks, tearfully as she clutches at my hand even harder.

“You didn’t do anything mother” I reply softly, sitting down beside her before pulling her into my arms.

 

Jared’s POV…

I find myself locked within the guest bedroom once again, confused, hurt and more then a little angry that my life and my relationship with Brent seems to be falling apart. His mother has everything to do with it and I would bet money on it because there is not doubt in my mind that she is trying to sabotage the wedding between her son and I. I won’t lie and say that it doesn’t hurt that she’s turned so hateful towards me, because truth be told only last year she loved me and accepted our love. I wish that I could speak to her alone and find out what it is that changed, but I am too angry and doubt that she would listen anyways. I hate fighting with Brent and as much as I want to also speak to him, I know that it’s for the best right now that we stay apart before either one of us say something we will both regret.

I wake to a rumbling belly as I get up off the bed I must have fallen asleep on and make my way downstairs. It’s late and I assume that Brent and his mother have retired for the evening at the silence that surrounds me as I make my way into the kitchen, almost having a heart attack at a voice speaking to me as if out of nowhere. “I would like to talk to you Jared”

Whipping around, I find Brent’s mother sitting at the dinning room table, looking as if she was in wait of me. “Sit…” She says, pointing at the chair in front of her.

“Where’s Brent?” I ask, ignoring my protesting stomach as I sit at the table with her, thinking that this might be the chance I need to talk some sense into her head about the relationship between her son and I.

“He got a call and had to go take care of some business” She replies with no real emotion behind her words, but her eyes are speaking loud and clear. “What is it going to take to get you to leave my son Jared?” She asks plainly as if she is asking for the time of day.

“What?” I cry out, feeling as if I was just punched in the gut.

“I said…what will it take to get you to leave my son?” She asks again.

It takes me a few minutes to compose myself before I can speak and even now my voice is shaky and uneven. “There is nothing that will make me leave your son. I love him” I say, tears trying to form their way down my cheeks but I refuse to let them. “Why…why do you hate me so much? You’ve always been a huge supporter of Brent and I and now…why?” I ask again, not even trying to hide the hurt and disappointment in my voice.

“I don’t hate you sill boy” She says to me, the urge to cry foul great but I keep it to myself. “It’s just that its time for Brent to move past this phase of his life”

“I would hardly call our relationship a phase” I cut her off before she can continue. “We’ve been together for over ten years” I remind, unable to understand that stupidity of this woman.

“I’ve allowed you to distract him for long enough. He’s almost forty and its time for him to settle down and start a family”

“He is settled and we’ve already told you that we’ve discussed starting a family. We have a plan in that we are going to work for two more years and then the two of us are going to cut our obligations back and work on starting a family. There is nothing more that either of us wants then to bring a child into our home”

“And how do you propose to do that?” She bites out evilly, sitting forward as she stares me down. “It isn’t proper for two men to raise a baby…much less even think about it. Can you imagine the damage you will causes it by being raised by two men?”

“Gay men raise children all the time and they turn out perfectly normal” I alert her to the real world.

“My son is not gay” She yells, slamming her hand upon the table as if to prove her point. “It’s you. You’re the only reason that he’s in this fucked up relationship. You have some power…something over him that doesn’t make him think straight. However…I am here to break that hold. Brent deserves a family…a true family and I am going to make sure that he gets it” I am stunned, wanting to say so much but nothing moves past my lips. “So…name you price Mr. Leto. As you know I am a very rich woman and I am willing to pay just about anything if it means that you leave my son for good”

“You’re crazy” I reply, getting up out of the chair.

“Ten million dollars should suffice” She ignores me. Pulling a check book from out of nowhere before beginning to write.

“You could make it twenty million and I…”

“Twenty million…done” She cuts me off, flipping to another check as she begins to write yet again.

“I love Brent you crazy bitch and there isn’t anything that you can say or do or amount of money that you could try and bribe me with that would cause me to leave him. I scream, slamming my own fist on the table before rushing for the door. “Brent baby…please pick up” I cry into the mouth piece of my phone as I sit alone and broken in my car, devastated at the treatment I’ve received and the fact that I can’t reach the man that I love. “Brent…BB…please call me back” I sob into the phone, starting the engine and racing as far away from my own home as I can.

I don’t think that I can cry anymore as I lay on Shannon’s couch, exhausted and scared because I haven’t heard a word from Brent since earlier today. “You ok?” I hear Shannon say as he sits on the end of the couch looking at me full of concern.

“She’s going to break us up Shannon” I sniff, not even trying to hide my tearstained face and watery eyes. “She’s his mother…he’s going to take her side”

“You don’t know that Jared. I’ve seen you and Brent get through bigger and tougher issues. I am sure that he will come over here and sweep you off of your feet like he always does and then you can get the fuck off of my couch” I can see that he believes his words as he smiles over at me, smacking my leg playfully.

“Yeah…” I reply with a half smile, because I don’t believe any of what he’s just said.

“Hello…” I hear Tomo answer a ringing phone from the hallway. “Yeah…he’s here. Ok…I’ll tell him” Shannon and I watch as Tomo enters the living room, cup of tea in his hand. “That was Brent…” He says, handing the tea to me as I sit up and accept it. “He says that he’s on his way over”

“See I told you” Shannon beams, smacking my leg once again before getting up and moving over to the love seat where Tomo is sitting.

I don’t say anything as I drink my tea, my heart racing so quickly that I feel as if I can barely catch my breath. As expected Brent shows up a few minutes later and with one look up on his face I already know that the relationship that once meant the world to me is about to be over. “Can you leave the two of us alone?” He asks Shannon and Tomo, his voice even, but so fucking cold.

Without word or question they walk out of the room, leaving the two of us alone. He doesn’t say anything for a long time as he paces back and forth in front of me. “Brent….” I say his name softly, jumping back slightly as he turns to face me quickly with a look of pure anger upon his face.

“Did you call my mother a crazy bitch?” He asks through gritted teeth.

I want to deny those words, but I don’t because I said them and I could never lie to him because he can read me like a book. “I did…but only because she was trying to bribe me into leaving you”

“WHAT?” His voice rises to a range that I have only heard a few times in the entire time I have known him.

“She offered me ten million dollars to leave you and then when that didn’t work she offered twenty” I defend myself and my words as I get up and take a tenitive step towards him. “She said that our relationship was just a phase and that she had allowed it to go on for too long now. She also told me that you weren’t gay and that she was going to make sure that you got the proper life and family that you deserve”

“I have never wanted to hit you as badly as I do right now” He growls, fist clenched at his sides, forcing me to take a step back because this is a side of Brent that I’ve never seen before. “How could you make up such a horrendous lies?” He questions me, bridging the gap that I am trying to widen as he grabs onto both sides of my arms and jerks me until I am right in front of him. "My mother said that she tried to make amends with you and you blew up on her. That you accused her of being the one to try and break us up and then you continued to call her such horrible names”

“Brent…no” I cry out in shock and pain because his grip is tightening on my arms. “BB…that’s not how it happened. You have to believe me. I promise you that I am not lying”

“I don’t believe you” He pushes me away as I fall to the floor at his feet. “My mother would never lie to me and lets face it you are so fucking jealous that you would say anything to be the center of my attention again”

“I’m not lying” I speak hardly above a whisper as he continues to loom over me. “You have to believe me Brent. I love you…I love you so much” I sob, not moving because my body seems to have gone numb. I watch as he walks away, leaving me on the floor broken and feeling as if I am starting to die. “I’m not lying” I find the will to pick myself up, chasing after him because I know that if he gets out that door that everything that we have worked so hard for is over for good. “BB…you know me. You know that I would never lie to you about anything as important as our relationship”

“Brent…” I hear my brother speak up from the top of the stairs. “Look we all know that Jared is a drama princess most days…but look at him” He walks down the stairs until he is standing between the two of us. “I don’t think that he’s lying man. You know as well as I do that you and this relationship between the two of you mean more to him then anything in the world…even our music”

Brent looks at me for only a moment before he reaches for the handle of the front door. “It’s over” He says looking me dead in the eye before turning and rushing out.

I feel as if all the air in the room has evaporated as I scramble to keep myself lucid. The room begins to spin as I fall to the floor. “Shan…can’t…breath” I gasp, trying like hell to pull air into lungs and a chest cavity that seem to be triple their normal size. “Help Shan…can’t…breath” I wheeze again before everything goes black.

The first thing I see when I open my eyes is a very sad looking Tomo as he sits on the side of me. He doesn’t have to say a word as I turn my head and begin to cry because there is nothing else for me to do. I don’t even hear him leave, but as I turn my head once again I find him gone and I am all alone with my misery. Curling up into a ball, I allow all the pain and rejection to consume me until I am sobbing so hard that once again I find it almost impossible to catch my breath. “Jared…” I hear Shannon speak from the doorway, looking just as lost and sad as Tomo as he enters the room with a cup in his hand. “Drink this…” But I shake my head and bury my face into the pillow, hoping and praying that he will just leave me be. I want to be alone so I can try to make sense of how fucked up my life has become. It’s as if he reads my mind as he sets the cup down on the night stand and leaves me. I want to die at the thought of not having Brent in my life anymore and then the anger hits and before I know what I am doing I am on my feet. Nothing in my reach is safe as I start to punch and pound anything and everything.

“NOOOOO…” I cry out when I feel a set of arms surround me, trying to calm me down, only to throw me to the floor when I don’t respond.

“Jared your hand” I hear who I think is Tomo cry out, but I can’t move, nor do I care as a heavy weight continues to hold me to the floor.

“Call 911…” I hear someone scream as I slowly lose my mind, fighting and jerking as if my life depended on it. I feel as if I have lost everything including my sanity as I once again go after the material items in the room. Everything hurts and screams out in pain, but the pain of my heart is louder as I am once again thrown to the ground. I don’t put up a fight anymore because I am exhausted beyond belief. I start to fade in and out of conscientiousness, Shannon’s worried face looming over me as he tries to keep me coherent. I vaguely hear the rushing of feet as people I don’t know surround me. I feel nothing as I am hoisted back onto the bed, those same faceless people tending to me, because nothing else matters. I’ve lost it all and this time, I know that no matter how hard I might try, there is no getting it back.

Waking up I find myself in an unfamiliar room, Shannon and Tomo sitting on the floor beside my bed, wrapped up in each other sound asleep. I don’t know what time it is, or what day it is and as the pain of everything washes over me once again, I find that I don’t care. I try to move, leave what I can only assume is a hospital room, but my mind is groggy and seems to have lost its function to think. I want to cry, to scream, anything buy lie here and wallow in the pain that Brent’s mother has brought to my life, but none of that matters as I just hover on the brink of nothingness. “They gave you something to ease the pain” I hear Shannon whisper as he slowly and carefully untangles himself from his lover, walking over towards the side of my bed. “You really did a number on yourself Jared” He says, lifting up my hand to show that it is surrounded by a cast, my arm scratched up and scabby. “I won’t even show you your precious face because it’s actually worse then your arms” I can tell that he’s angry but I can’t respond partly due to the drugs and partly due to the fact that what else can I say. “And don’t think that I’m not going to make you pay for all the shit you destroyed in that room. What the fuck were you thinking putting your hand though the mirror? You crazy fuck…” I can see the tears in his eyes and I want to tell him how sorry I am, but the words just won’t come.

“Shan…” I hear Tomo speak, standing behind him as he lays a calming hand upon his shoulder. I always thought that Tomo was too young for my brother, forcing him to change into something that he didn’t want to be, but at the look of love and understanding that is exchanged between the two of them, I can now see that Tomo is the best thing to ever come into Shannon’s life. Neither try to make me feel better, or offer words of encouragement and as strange as this sounds, I am happy for that. They all know that my relationship with Brent is over and that once I wrap my head around it, I’ll know it too. “The doctor’s says that they might release you tomorrow Jared…but they want you to get some professional help” He tells me, not pushing it because he knows that it won’t ever happen. I have to deal with this my way and I can only hope and pray that I survive it.

 

Brent’s POV…

I watch as Jared, Tomo and Shannon exit the hospital, the media in their face, screaming and yelling, demanding to know what happened to Jared and how he ended up there. He doesn’t answer; instead he walks as if in a daze behind Shannon as he pushes the vultures away in order for his brother to walk though. Tomo walks beside Jared; arm slung protectively around his shoulder as he guides him forward. I find myself crying as I watch the car waiting for them take off, as the reporter drones on about what they think might have happened. The sad part is that she is actually quite close to the truth as I switch off the news, slumping in a chair in my office. I miss Jared so much as I pull a picture out of the drawer, staring through watery eyes at the beautiful man encased in a gold frame before me. I miss him and yet as much as I miss him I am so angry for what has transpired. He verbally attacked my mother, causing her to break down in my arms from shock and fright the very moment that I entered our home.

I didn’t want to believe her at first because I know how much Jared loves me and knows how special my mother is to me, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that it had to be true because why would my mother lie to me. I mean, she’s the one that gave be birth, the one that raised me when we had nothing at the beginning. She is the one that was there for me growing up and the one that turned me into the man that I am today. How can I not believe the woman who has been there for me every single time that I have needed her? I am beside myself with grief that Jared and I are once again in a situation so similar to another just a year ago and yet this time I know that there is no repairing what has been done. “Mr. Bolthouse…your mother is on line one” I hear my receptionist’s voice echo through the phone on my desk.

“Tell her I am in a meeting” I lie, because I just can’t deal with her or anything right now. I feel as if I want to die, just curl up into a ball and drift away, but I know that I can’t. I can’t let the reality of my devastated relationship with the man I hoped I was going to spend the rest of my life with get the best of me. I have to hold on, be strong and pretend that any of this isn’t slowly killing me, because despite what I tell myself, that’s what it feels like.

“She says she knows your not in a meeting and that she wants to talk to you” I hear the receptionist speak once again, jerking me back from dark thoughts.

“Thank you Donna” I reply, taking a deep breath before picking up the phone. “Hello mother”

I don’t want to be here and yet I find myself here just the same with, my mother sitting on one side of the table in an outside cafe, my ex girlfriend sitting beside me. I don’t hear most of what they are saying, only catching a word or two as my mind wanders back to the picture on the television screen from earlier. All I can see is the lost and saddened look on Jared’s face, knowing that I am the reason that that look is there, that I am the reason that he hurt himself in the process. The last time something like this happened, he fell into an abyss of drinking and this time it seems he’s turned destructive. My sadness turns to that of anger again as I feel my mother’s hand upon my arm as she retells the tale of how Jared hurt and disrespected her in the worst kind of way. “Well if you excuse me…I must take my leave” I hear her say as she gets up and begin to walk towards the car waiting for us.

“Leave…where are we going?” I ask, confused because as I far as I know this was only a lunch.

“I have an appointment to get my hair done” She smiles at me, patting my cheek as she turns to face Cheryl with an even bigger smile. “Cheryl has agreed to take you back to the office once you are done. So go…order some dessert and get to know one another again” I don’t have a chance to respond before the driver assists her into the car and leaves me standing on the curb like a dolt. Cheryl smiles at me from the table and I can’t help but remember a time when that smile used to bring me to my knees. Smiling back, I walk back to the table and pretend that my life isn’t smoldering in ruins at my feet.

I find that I don’t have to pretend so much as we catch up on each other’s lives, excluding the part where she dumped me and left me devastated in her wake. However, it’s really not a subject that I want to talk about anyway. “I’m really sorry to hear about you and Jared” She brings up another subject that I don’t want to talk about. “Are you really ok?” She asks and I want to scream at the top of my lungs that NO I am not ok. I am anything but ok, because the man that I love with my entire heart isn’t in my life anymore.

“I’m fine…” I lie with as much of a smile as I can muster on my face and she seems to believe me as she leans forward and places her hand on top of mine.

“I’m glad” She smiles at me in return, giving my hand a squeeze. “I have to admit Brent that when your mother told me that you were lovers with Jared Leto…well I didn’t believe her at first. I thought that she was pulling my leg. I mean there had always been rumors about you and him because of your close friendship…but I thought that they were just that…rumors. I was really shocked to find out that it was true. I mean…when you and I were together we had such an amazing sex life and then to learn that you were with a guy after that shocked me. Was it…was it because of what happened between us?” She asks, her eyes locked on my eyes, hand still upon mine.

I want to laugh in her face because she seems to forget that our sex life was never that great in the first place. In fact we spent more time apart then we did together and even when we were together we always had a house full of her friends and followers. I want to tell her that from the first moment that I laid eyes on Jared that I was smitten and it was only a short time later that I fell head over heels in love with him. I want to, but I don’t as I remove my hand from under hers and sit back. “We just fell in love” I reply with a real smile as I recall the first kiss that the two of us ever shared.

“But with a man” The look of disgust on her face only serves to piss me off as I signal the waiter, pay the check and stand to leave. “I mean…I know your mother said that it was only a phase…but it’s still hard to swallow” I want to laugh at her poor choice of words, but I don’t as I pull air deeply into my lungs in order to calm myself.

“Cheryl…the fact of that matter is that I am gay. I’ve been gay all of my life and Jared had nothing to do with that. It just so happens that he was the first man that I ever fell in love with. I don’t know what my mother has been telling you…but if you or her have any ideas of you and I getting back together…well that just won’t be happening” I declare loud and clear as I bid her goodbye and leave her staring after me with a look of absolute shock upon her face. Hailing a cab, I give the driver the address to my office, my mind muddled and confused about everything.

“How could you? How could you talk to Cheryl like that?” My mother pounces the moment that I enter my home hours later, mentally exhausted after hours of sulking over my lost love. “She was only trying to be there for you and you treated her so horribly” I can see that she’s angry and as much as I know I should feel bad for the way that I treated her, I just don’t. It’s only been two days since I ended things with Jared and the fact of that matter is that I haven’t even had the time to breath, much less grieve over something that once filled such a huge part of my life.

“I can’t deal with this right now” I speak up before she can go any further, rushing upstairs to the bedroom that we used to share. Locking the door behind me, I fall to the bed, so many emotions converging on me at once that I don’t know once one to deal with first. There is anger and pain, heartbreak and misery and it feels as if each one is trying to consume me whole. I want Jared back in the worst way possible and yet at the same time, how can I be with a man who will do anything to be the center of attention, including disrespecting the mother that means everything to me. I bury my face within the softness of his pillow, inhaling his scent and hoping at the same time that it takes the very breath from my body. I am riled up and exhausted all rolled into one and I know that it will be hours, maybe even days before I can every relax enough to consider sleep. I hear my mother knocking on the other side of that door, but I ignore her. Instead I heft myself from the bed and lock myself in the bathroom, needing to be as far away from her and everyone as I can. When I emerge the room is quiet as I once again lay down on the bed, praying for sleep to take me but knowing that it’s just a false hope.

Days have passed and I am just going through the motions because the fact is that I just can’t muster up the energy to care about anything. I feel so lost and so alone and I miss Jared so much that I feel that I might go mad from it. My mother is constantly telling me to get over him, telling me that it is time for me to move on. What she seems to forget that for the last decade he’s been my every thing. How can she just expect me to move on from that as if the last ten years didn’t happen?

“You need to get over this” I hear her speak up, startling me back from my thoughts of Jared. “This is getting ridiculous Brent. It’s been two weeks and you act as if you are in mourning” I can’t believe that she doesn’t get it and yet I say nothing because I don’t want to upset her. “Jared was just a phase in your life. It’s now time to move onto a new one and with Cheryl you can have that”

“A phase” I cry out, startling her with my loudness because I have never spoken back to my mother in all my ears on this earth. “Jared was more then a phase” Cheryl’s words come back to me and for a moment I wonder if maybe what Jared had been trying to tell me was true. “Mother…did you have anything to do with Jared and I splitting up?” I ask, getting such a horrible reaction as my mother runs down the hallway crying about how hurtful I am. I don’t go after her, because I am even more confused as I push myself away from the table and walk out onto the patio.

“Excuse me Mr. Bolthouse” I hear someone speak behind me as I turn and find one of the cleaning ladies standing behind me. “I was getting ready to dump the trash and I found these checks laying on top. I didn’t know if they were any good since they are addressed to Mr. Leto.

“Thank you” I cry out over my shoulder as I rush out the front door, get into my car and drive as fast as I can towards only one destination.

“He’s not here” I hear Shannon say to me the moment that he opens the door, trying to slam it in my face but another is quicker as he shoves him aside and ushers me inside.

“Brent…” Tomo speaks my name cautiously as I stand before the two of them clutching those checks in my hand, unable to speak because I am still in shock at what they mean. “What is this?” He asks as I stretch my hand out towards him.

“I fucking told you. I told you that he wasn’t lying and you wouldn’t fucking believe him or me” Shannon roars as he grabs the checks from Tomo’s hand, glaring at me with such a hateful look that it brings the tears I had been holding back to life as they trickle down my face. “Now you have it as tangible proof and you think you can just come in here and everything will be ok?” He continues with his tirade, Tomo ceasing all that he has left to say with one look.

“Look…I’m not going to say what you did was right and I’m not going to say it was wrong…but it’s clear that you love him and you’ve come to some conclusion about what happened” Tomo speaks words of wisdom and I grow to love the kid even more. “But Shannon wasn’t lying when he said that Jared wasn’t here”

“Where…where is he?” I finally speak, my voice low and gravelly due to the pain that is there.

“Colin’s in town” Shannon grins, not saying anything else as my blood runs cold from just that one name.

“He’s with Colin?” I ask, recalling a time five years back when Jared and I had split up for six months after a rejected marriage proposal. I threw myself into my work. Jared threw himself into a short romp with a man I now despise with my entire being. I learned to forgive Jared since we truly weren’t together at that time, but my hatred for the Irish man never diminished. “Where are they?” I demand, knowing that I shouldn’t, but I don’t care because I can’t give up on Jared and I, despite the fact that there is only a small hope.

“Like we’d fucking tell you” Shannon spits out and I fight the urge to slug him because I know that he’s only protecting his sibling.

“Knock it off Shannon” Tomo warns his lover, turning back towards me with nothing but pure irritation on his face. “Don’t fuck up again or I swear to god you won’t have me on your side the next time” The warnings now face me and again I know it’s only because these two love Jared just as much as I do. “He’s staying at The Plaza”

 

Jared’s POV…

“Are you sure that you don’t want to come with me? Just think about it. Two weeks with me and me family. What more could make you forget about ole’ what’s his face” Colin asks me for the tenth time in the last hour and I can’t help but smile because I know that he really is worried about me.

“I’d love nothing more then to visit with your family again…but I can’t. I have to report on set next week and I have some obligations with the band” I grin even wider as I get up and hug a man that at one time had been my saving grace many years ago. “Thank you so much for letting me stay with you” I whisper against his ear. “Thank you for letting me vent and be an even bigger bitch then I usually am”

“You’d do the same for me” He pulls back with a smile, kissing me firmly on the lips before grabbing his bag and heading for the door. “The studio has paid for the room through the end of the week…stay if you want” He turns to face me once again. “I’m sorry that he hurt you again Jared. You deserve better then that”

“I know…” I sigh, taking a deep breath because I refuse to let the sadness over take me any longer.

“You’re sure?” He asks again and I can’t help but laugh as I rush forward, pushing him onward

“Go on…get out of here before…” I don’t get to finish my sentence as I see a shadow of a man rush up on us and before I know what is happening, Colin’s being knocked backwards, blood dripping from his lip.

“Brent…” I cry out, trying to grab onto Colin because there is no doubt in my mind that Colin can kick Brent’s ass with one hand tied behind his back. I am too late as Colin gains control and lands a punch directly to Brent’s stomach that literally lifts him off of the floor. Brent’s not down for the count as he brushes it off and lunges for the Irishman once again. I am quicker as I dodge between them, knocking Brent on his ass and Colin into the wall behind us. “Colin no…” I yell when he tries for him again, shooting a look at the man still sitting on the floor as if to dare him to move. “You have a plane to catch” I remind, removing the scarf from around my neck as I use it to wipe at his bleeding lip.

“Like I’m fucking leaving now” He booms, eyes narrowed and dark, his body stiff with rage and anger and it’s all directed at the man behind us.

“It’s ok. I can handle him” I assure, laying my hands on either side of his face as I kiss him gently, staring deeply into brown eyes full of indecision. “It’s ok” I speak again, sending him on his way but not before he kicks Brent in the leg before stomping off. I can’t help but chuckle, but it only lasts a minute before I turn and face my ex lover. “I have nothing to say to you” I say, turning to walk back into the room, but a hand of my calf stops me.

“Jared please. I know that I don’t deserve a second chance…but please just listen to what I have to say” I am torn as I lock eyes with another set of brown eyes, his full of pain and torment. I don’t say anything as I step inside the room, knowing it is against my better judgment as I hold the door open and watch him stumble inside. “You have five minutes…so speak and then leave” I say, walking into the bathroom as I grab a washcloth from off of the wall, wetting it before walking back into the main room. I don’t say anything as I hand it to him, moving away as he tends to his wounds. “Clocks ticking” I remind, arms crossed over my chest as I stand as far away from him as the room will allow me.

“I found these” He speaks so softly that I can hardly hear him as he digs into his pockets and pulls out two crumpled pieces of paper. I know what they are the minute I seen them and before I know it my anger explodes.

“So now you know that I wasn’t fucking lying” I yell, relief that he finally knows the truth hitting me, anger that he didn’t believe me in the first place out weighing that. “Big fucking deal. It doesn’t change anything” I don’t know why but I can’t stop the onslaught of tears that rush down my face as he continues to stand there looking lost and torn. “What do you expect me to do…just forgive you?” I sob, holding myself tightly because the need to fall into his arms is slowly overtaking me. “You called me a liar. You fucking devastated my heart” My arm aches as I clutch the cast to my chest, using it as a barrier of protection against I didn’t know what.

“I made a mistake” He’s sobbing now, taking a tenitive step towards me, stepping back as I flinch away in disgust and anger.

“Damn right you did…a huge one” I cry even harder, falling to me knees because I just don’t have the will to stand upright any longer. “It’s over Brent” My voice is weakening as he rushes towards me, falling to his knees as well.

“I know” He responds, not moving, just kneeling there.

“I fucking hate you” My throat is raw with emotion.

“I know you do JJ”

“Don’t fucking call me that” I surge forward, forgetting about the heavy cast as I clock him squarely in the head with it. We both cry out in pain, but he doesn’t move, only places his hand upon the spot where I have hit him.

“It’s over” My words are meek and untrue as I repeat it over and over again, falling against his chest in full exhaustion and need. “You hurt me” I wail, clinging to him as if for dear life, knowing that I should be pushing him away as he pulls me closer to him.

“I know I did and you can never know how sorry I am for that” I hear him murmur against my ear, his tears wetting the sides of my face as he clings to me even harder.

I want to be angrier and make him pay for everything that has happened, but I don’t. Instead, I wrap my good arm around his neck and kiss him with all the strength I can muster. The floor is hard and painful as I allow Brent to make love to me because there is no denying that despite everything I still love this man and I always will.

“Don’t you want to know if I slept with him?” I ask much later after we’ve moved to the bed, Brent and I still naked, he spooning me from the back.

“No…it doesn’t matter” He says, but I can feel the twinge of tension in his body because I know just how much he hates Colin.

“I didn’t sleep with him” I speak softly, turning within his arms as I lay my hand softly on the side of his face. “I won’t lie and say that I didn’t think about it…but I couldn’t do it because no matter what I still love you so much Brent” I speak the purest of truths, gazing into his eyes because I want him to know how much I truly do love him.

“I love you so much too” Is his tearful reply as the tension starts to ebb from his body. “Can you ever forgive me for what I’ve done?” The tension returns just as quickly as it left as I lean forward and kiss him softly.

“I had already forgiven you the moment I saw you lying on that floor” I laugh, kissing him once again because I am so happy to have him next to me again. “Brent…” I speak his name hesitantly after our kiss because I don’t know how to broach the subject without upsetting him once again.

“I just left her at the house when one of the cleaning staff brought me the checks. I just had to get to you so I could beg for your forgiveness” He already knows what I am trying to say without having to say a word and people wonder why I love him so much. “I’ll call her later and let her know what’s going on and then we will go home and deal with her…together?” It’s not a statement, but a question as I lean forward and kiss him softly once again.

“Together” I reply with a smile, knowing that what we are about to face is going to be rough and without a doubt will get ugly, but I don’t care. This woman came between us, causing havoc and mayhem where there was once nothing but happiness and love and this time I refuse to let her win. I love Brent. Brent loves me and as long as we each remember that, there is not doubt that we can weather the storm known as his mother together.

The End…


End file.
